The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-06-17
NUMBER 81.
THE SCALE INSECT.
Regular Monthly Meeting OF PenIaI Hor-
ticuitural Society.

Regular Monthly Meeting of Peniai Hor-
ticuituraI Society.
| Correspondence ~ the P1nfkd Nstrs
a regular monthly meeting Of this
society took place on "Wednesday, the LIST
inst, the president calling order gentle
men" at precisely 3 p. m. After the re-
cording secretary had read the minutes
of the proceeding meeting, il being dis-
covered that no work for the present one
had been laid out, al least none having
been set forth IN the records, the presi-
dent proposed the scale insect" as a
proper subject for discussion ON the oc-
casion.
Rev. Thomas, by request, took the
stand and expressed himself 10 the fol-
lowing effect, lie was satisfied that the
''scale" is a subject which is much neg
lected. II is no small matter to contend
with its numberless millions Ii is
not enough Ia look after il while the
trees are small, but il should be at
tended 10 strictly, even after they come
into bearing. In fact trees Of any age
and size are liable Ia be attacked by IT,
IL requires constant watching Ia insure
permitted 10 get the start of you, do
what You may, one or two years growth
of the the tree il lost.
The first brood generally comes in
March, the second in April and in NAV
and June the third. and II well looked
after the last one of consequence
Whale oil soap, the kerosene emul-
Sin
are all good and can all be applied in
similar modes with the brush to the
trunk or stems. or with the syringe to
the leaves. lie prefers the kerosene
emulsion for the leaves and twigs.
The scale makes its first appearance
ON the new growth and the young fruit,
and should at once be synnged with
one of the preparations named. lie has
made experiments which lead him to
believe that the rust will succumb 90
the same treatment, especially 10 that of
the lime and sulphur; thus as il were
"knling two birds with one stone'-on-
ly, we don't have any stones in this part
of Florida.
KEROSENE EMULSION
is made as follows: Dissolve one half
pound soap-any good kind-in two
quarts of water add one gallon of oil l50o
test "0ow grade oil won't do'D while
boiling; stir and mix until all are fully
Incorporated; when accomplished the
emulsion will present the appearance
and consistency of cream. In applying
H. mix nine parts of water to one of the
ere am.
LIME AND SULPHUR MIXTURE.
Add to one peck unslaked lime four
pounds pulyerized Tor -four sulphur:
then slake with boiling water and thin
To IA white wash.
Mr.. Thomas has observed "A very small
aplus-like insect inhabiting the fruit and
concludes from this and other observa-
tions that the actual ''rust" Of the
orange Is but the excrement of that in
sect.
Records-Any soft soap is thought Ia
he as good as whale oil soap.
Webb used Colgate" with success.
Recorls-The presence Of chickens
seems 10 encourage the growth Of the
scale.
Cyrus, by the use of "A 70-liameter
microscope, found the larva on maggots
of the scale, which appeared through
that instrument 10 be about half an
inch long and having six legs. They
died within three minutes after lac
touched them with the kerosene emul-
sion. He prefers the emulsion 10 the
lime and sulphur wash. IL should be
applied with considerable force in the
form of spray. Some kind of an atom
izer suited to the purpose would be the
right thing.
Morris had been troubled but little with
the scale, but had, 50 far, found, espe-
cially heavy fertilizing, with same
pruning, effective.
Becks found lime and sulphur effective
in his cases.
Breakman suggest 10 cooperate la the
purchase Of a first-class apparatus for
spraying purposes.
FRIENDLY INSECTS.
Cyrus thinks the usual garden pump
would he about the thing, and believes
the kerosene emulsion will destroy
nearly, il not, indeed, quite all the vari-
GUS tribes of insect life that depredate
vegetable growth, provided you bring in
contact with their bodies.
We should make ourselves acquainted
with the friendly as well AS with the un-
friendly insects. There are those which
feed upon the scale and other depreda-
tors. The lady bug is one Of them, as
well IA some others Of the beetle family.
TREATMENT OF THE PEACH.
Rev. Mr.. Thomas presented several
very fine specimens of the Peen-to peach,
picked from "A three year-old bud grated
into the native plum. which has now
borne its second crop. "If you split the
bark Of the plum stock in two, three or
more places, from the ground To the
peach junction. it will grow more rap
idly and thereby keep closer pace with
the peach" Peach trees should DE Sc
verely pruned; not by cutting back once
year, but by frequently pinching OF
the terminal bud of the growing twig at
rather short lengths, 40 as 10 force side
shoots, and thereby keeping the tree
compact and well in hand.
Leyvraz-The peach or the plum
should be budded as close TO the ground
as possible.
Webb presented samples Of 81. Michael
oranges two months from the trees
which were sound and juicy. He has
a